Chhattisgarh to focus on boosting infrastructure in its 25th year of formation: Minister Choudhary

Raipur, Dec 19 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Finance Minister OP Choudhary on Thursday said the 25th year of the state’s formation will be celebrated as ‘Atal Nirman Varsh’ with a focus on infrastructure development.

During a debate in the assembly on the demand proposals for the second supplementary budget of the financial year 2024-25, Chaudhary said their government is committed to the state's rapid economic development.

After the discussion, the House passed the supplementary budget of Rs 805.71 crore. With the passage of the second supplementary budget proposals, the budget outlay for 2024-25 has gone up to 1,55,580 crore.

Under the Atal Nirman Varsh, priority will be given to infrastructure development. Adequate funds will be provided for expenditure on roads, bridges, hospitals and railway lines, said the minister.

After being carved out of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh came into existence on November 1, 2000, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister.

People of Chhattisgarh have trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “guarantee” (BJP's poll promises), Choudhary said.

Fulfilling Modi’s guarantee, just 12 days after the formation of the BJP government (last year after state polls), more than 12 lakh farmers were paid paddy bonus worth Rs 3,716 crore pending for two years 2014-15 and 2015-16, he said.

In the cabinet meeting held the very next day after the swearing-in (of chief minister and deputy CMs), it was decided to provide houses to 18 lakh poor families of the state under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’, he said.

Input assistance worth Rs 13,320 crore was transferred to the bank accounts of the 24.75 lakh farmers under the ‘Krishak Unnati Yojana’ in the previous Kharif Marketing Season, he said.

The government will soon provide financial assistance to landless farmers and labourers under the ‘Deendayal Upadhyaya Bhoomihin Krishak Mazdoor Yojana’, he added. PTI TKP NR